


Puppies

by KillerGhoul



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Dogs, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Ficlet, Fluff, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 15:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15027746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillerGhoul/pseuds/KillerGhoul
Summary: For months, Negan and the kids had tried their damndest to convince Rick to get a dog.





	Puppies

Negan checked the kitchen clock a fifth time. In roughly five minutes Rick would be home from work. 

 

“Carl, are you sure you printed out all the information, and that you highlighted the important parts?”

 

The teen flipped through the packet of papers in front of him on the kitchen table “Yeah, I'm sure.”

 

“Judy, have you been practicing your puppy eyes?”

 

“Yes, Daddy!” the little girl responded sweetly. 

 

Negan nodded to himself. Good, everything was good. They were all prepared. In good timing too since Negan could hear the front door opening. 

 

“I'm home!” Rick called out.

 

“We're in the kitchen!” Negan hollard back. 

 

Negan could see Rick's surprised at finding his family gathered at the kitchen table, waiting for him. “What's going on?” Rick asked suspiciously. Negan gestured to the one empty chair “Please, have a seat.”

 

“We have a presentation for you today,” Negan began when Rick sat down “Carl will be going first.”

 

Carl pushed the stack of papers in front of him towards his father “I compiled a packet of information on both the physical and emotional health pros of owning a dog.”

 

Negan watched as a look of comprehension dawned on his husband's face. For months, Negan and the kids had tried their damndest to convince Rick to get a dog. So far their efforts had been fruitless, with Rick always saying “I'll think about it.” This time though, they were going all out and hitting Rick as a team. Negan was confident that by the end of their presentation Rick would let them have a dog. 

 

Negan paid extreme attention as Rick flipped through the pages of Carl's packet. When the man was done he looked back at his family. That was Carl's que to nudge Judith, so she knew it was her turn. 

 

“Please, Dad? I love doggies, and Carl, and Daddy do too! If you got us a doggy then it would make us very happy.” Judith said, all the while keeping up her puppy eyes. 

 

Rick shifted his gaze from his daughter to Negan. Negan gulped because Rick looked absolutely unaffected by Judy's puppy eyes, which made no sense because Negan never could resist them. He couldn't let the situation faze him though, not if he wanted the family to get a dog. 

 

“I talked with Maggie and Glenn. They both said that they'd be alright with watching the dog when we're at work, and the kids are at school. I even talked with Daryl and Michonne. Those two are more than happy to dog sit for us, and they like the idea of seeing if Andre can handle watching a dog before they decide to get him one.” 

 

All three looked at Rick, waiting to see what he would decide. The man in question had closed his eyes, and leaned back in the chair.

 

With a heavy sigh he stood up. 

 

“I'll think about it.” was Rick's response before he left the kitchen. Three sets of eyes watched him leave. 

 

“So no doggy?” Judith questioned sadly. 

 

“You see, Negan. I told you this wasn't gonna work. Nothing has so far.” Carl said dejectedly. 

 

“We just have to give it some time. Soon enough your Dad will wear out, and we'll get a dog… Hopefully.”

 

“We need another plan.” Carl huffed. 

 

“I've got nothing else. I was banking on this to work.”

 

Carl bit his lip in thought. “What if… What if you tried…” Carl began blushing. 

 

Negan squinted his eyes at the teen “What if I tried what?”

 

“I'm not gonna say IT, but I will say that I think me and Judy should go out to get ice cream.” Carl said with a suggestive look. 

 

It took a second for Negan to work out what Carl was trying to convey, but when he did he gave a knowing smirk. “You want me to use my charm on your Dad, huh?”

 

Carl blushed harder, and looked like he wanted to die. Negan decided to take pity on the kid, so he pulled out his wallet to hand Carl a twenty. “Don't come back until an hour has passed.” Negan told Carl when he grabbed the money. Negan laughed as he watched Carl grab his sister and run to the front door. 

 

Negan left the kitchen and began his assent up the stairs. He walked into his and Rick's bedroom to find the other man in his undershirt and boxers, still putting up his cop uniform. Negan also noticed Rick's towel and extra clothes on the bed. Rick was going to be taking a shower which gave Negan an idea. 

 

Negan came up behind Rick, and wrapped his arms around the man. In an instant Rick relaxed into Negan's hold. Negan nudged Rick's head to the side so he could have access to his neck. He started to gently nip the area which caused a soft sigh from Rick. 

 

“I know what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work.” Rick said, even as he started to slowly roll his hips. 

 

“All I want to do is relax under a hot spray of water with you.” Negan spoke softly into Rick's skin. Rick turned around in Negan's arms, and brought his hand up to link them behind Negan's neck. 

 

“That sounds pleasant.” 

 

Negan leant down to give Rick such a filthy kiss that the smaller man started moaning in need. He slowly started walking backwards, leading them to the bathroom, all the while never breaking the kiss. Rick pulled away when Negan's back hit the door. “You may think your plan is working, but I still haven't made up my mind about getting a dog.”

 

“This wasn't my plan,” Negan spoke, very much distracted as he pulled Rick's shirt collar down in order to leave more love bites “It actually was Carl's.”

 

Rick stilled. He then put a hand on Negans chest to shove him back. “Carl told you to do this?”

 

“Yes- No, not exactly…” Negan fumbled out.

 

Rick left Negan to get his towel and change of clothes from off the bed. He then moved the taller man out the way, and headed into the bathroom. Before Negan could follow, Rick slammed the door shut in his face. Negan heard the lock of the door. 

 

Welp. The family defiantly now wasn't going to get a dog. 

 

\-------------------------

 

Rick was driving on the road, having just picked up some pizza for dinner. As he drove he kept thinking about how his family wanted a dog. 

 

It wasn't like he was fully against the idea of owning a dog. Heck, he had one when he was young. It had been a female border collie that he had named Shadow. Shadow had been a very good dog. 

 

What Rick worried about was finding the right dog. The dog had to be a breed that was known to be patient with Kids because he knew Judy would be a lot for a dog to handle. It also needed to be a dog that could be lazy and active, just something in between. Not to mention the dog needed to be easy to train, and Rick would want a protective dog. The only way to get the dog he wanted was by either a breeder, or luck. Rick may seem picky, but if his family was going to get a dog then they'd get a damn good one. 

 

Rick stopped when the streetlight ahead turned red. He looked out at the intersection. This part of town wasn't very active. Around him were open fields, a gas station, and man sitting in the back of a pick up truck on the side of the road. Rick's eyes paused on the truck. On the side of the truck was a sign that read ‘FREE PUPPIES TO A GOOD HOME’.

 

Rick tilted his head. He supposed he could check out the puppies. There was no harm in just looking. 

 

He put his signal light on, and turned onto the side of the road, just past the man in his truck. 

 

“Hi.” The man greeted when Rick got out of his car, and walked towards him. 

 

“Hi.” 

 

Rick was rather surprised by the man. He was wearing business like attire, but more casual. Rick could see a tan trench coat, and regular suit jacket laid across the side of the truck. The man has his tie loose and sleeves rolled up. Rick was wondering why a man like this was on the side of the road giving away puppies. 

 

Speaking of the puppies, Rick could see them playing right next to the man. There were only two of them. One was a tad big with long, fluffy, brown hair. The other was smaller, and looked like a Golden Retriever. 

 

“You can get closer to them. They won't bite.” the man told Rick. Rick obliged, and step forward. When he got close, the puppies stopped their playing to inspect him. The bigger one was eager to greet him, but the smaller one seemed to keep it behind it. Rick let the Golden pup sniff him, and he stayed still as it nudged him with its nose. After while the pup gave a tiny yip noise, and that appeared to be a signal to the bug pup that all was clear because the big came bounding to him after. 

 

“That's a good sign.”

 

“What is?” Rick asked. 

 

“These two puppies are brothers. The oldest is the golden one, and the youngest is the brown one. If the golden puppy likes you he'll let his brother near you. Since he did just that, it means they would be happy to go with you, and they're not bad puppies at all so.” The man told Rick.

 

Rick nodded his head “What breed are the parents?”

 

“The mom was a Golden Retriever, and the dad was a Leonberger. Golden Retrievers are known for their patience with kids, Leonbergers are great workers, and they both want to please their masters. These puppies will be easy to train because I know their parents were. Also they two pups are protective of anyone they like.”

 

It almost seemed too good to be true. The puppies were cute, and they looked like they fit the bill for the type of dog Rick was looking for, for his family. Maybe he'd get them, or not. He was still indecisive. 

 

“If you don't mind me asking, what's your name?” the man asked. 

 

“I'm Rick, Rick Grimes.” Rick introduced himself, extending out a hand. 

 

“Nice to meet you, Rick. I'm Castiel Novak.” the man, Castiel, shook Rick's hand. 

 

Rick squinted his eyes at the man “You're kidding me, right? Are you actually THE Castiel Novak?”

 

Castiel chuckled “Yeah, I am.”

 

Rick couldn't believe it. The Novak name was well known in Georgia because it was the name of the company that made millions in selling the latest technologies, and they were known for their extraordinary charity work. 

 

“What in the fucking hell is someone like you doing here?” Rick blurted out. He mentally kicked himself, but blamed Negan in his head. As much as Rick got the man to lessen his cursing, Negan got Rick to curse more. “I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to say that.”

 

“It's fine, trust me when I say I'm around people who speak a lot more worse than you.” Castiel laughed. “To answer your question, I'm here as a favor to a friend of mine. His name is Bobby. He and his wife Ellen have had to move to a smaller place since there last one kinda burned down. They would have loved to keep the puppies, but they have no room for them. They're daughter, Joe, would have taken them, but she's in college right now. Heck, I would have taken these guys if me and my wife, Meg, didn't work so much.”

 

“I'm sorry that your friends’ house burned down.” Rick said in consolation. 

 

“Everything is alright now, but thank you.”

 

“So are they only keeping the puppies’ parents?”

 

Castiel shook his head “The parents had died in a hunting accident.”

 

“Hunting accident?”

 

“Yeah, you see Bobby's old place had a forest behind it filled with deer. He would let the older dogs go play in it, but one day it had been that a couple of guys were doing some deer hunting. They had accidentally mistook the female dog for a deer and shot her. When the male dog attacked them for killing its mate, they shot him.”

 

“Jesus.” Rick said. Rick actually felt bad for the pups. Their parents were killed in a unfair way, and their original home had burned. That was some bad luck for pups. 

 

Rick grabbed the golden puppy. He looked into its emerald green eyes, and the puppy starred right back. It then decided to give his nose a lick which made Rick smile. The other puppy started to whine, so Rick picked him up too. These pups were about to have some good luck if Rick had anything to do with it. 

 

“Can I ask you one last question?”

 

“Shoot.”

 

“What made you decide to come here out of all places?”

 

Castiel grinned “Another friend of mine, Crowley, he told me that crossroads/intersections, were the best place to do business, like give away puppies. It's because they usually have more people come through. This one in particular he said had many good people come through. Crowley told me that if I stayed here then I'd be sure to find a good home for these two boys.”

 

“I think Crowley was right. Me and my family live in a nice neighborhood with a decent sized backyard and frontyard. I give you my word, as an officer of the law, that these pups will be well looked after.”

 

“Then they're yours to take.” Castiel said, with a bright smile. 

 

\------------------------

 

Negan paced back and forth in front of the door to his home. Rick had texted him seven minutes ago that he'd be home in ten minutes with pizza, and a huge surprise. Negan loved surprises, and he couldn't wait for Rick to get home. 

 

“You know a watched pot never boils.” Carl said from the couch. Judith sat beside Carl as they watched ‘Coco’ on the the TV. 

 

“I don't get how you guys aren't anxious like me. Your dad said he had a huge surprise. What fucker doesn't like surprises?”

 

“Language.” Carl and Judith said in unison. 

 

Negan rolled his eyes. “I don't get you kids sometimes.” he said as he continued pacing. 

 

Negan stopped in his tracks when he heard the door opening. The door opened a little, and then Rick's head popped through. “Carl, please pause the TV. I want you and Judith to come stand by Negan.”

 

The kids did as Rick said. Soon Rick had his family staring at him, all of them waiting to see what surprise he had. 

 

“Now, when I open the door I don't want y'all to freak out, okay?”

 

“Okay” Negan and the kids agreed. 

 

Rick pushed the door fully open, and two balls of fluff flew past him. 

 

“Puppies!” Judith squealed. 

 

Out of all the things Rick could have done, Negan never expected the man to give his family, not one, but two dogs. 

 

“Where did you find these guys?” Negan asked as he crouched to start playing with them. 

 

“A guy on the side of the road was giving them away for free.”

 

Negan nodded distractedly, he was too caught up with the dogs. 

 

“We need to name them.” Carl piped up. 

 

“I'll be in charge of that.” Negan decided. 

 

“Why you?”

 

“Because you'll probably want to name them something corny like brownie or goldie.”

 

Carl huffed at that.

 

Negan picked up the younger dog first “I think I'll name you Sam because ‘I Am Legend’ was a freaking awesome movie.” 

 

“Daddy, Daddy! Let's name the gold puppy Dean! Dean burritos are yummy!” Judith exclaimed in excitement. 

 

“I think she meant bean.” Rick clarified, chuckling a bit. Judith always messed up her words when she was super excited. 

 

“Dean sounds good though,” Negan commented. “Sam and Dean. It has a nice ring to it.”

 

“I like it.” Carl said. 

 

“Then it's official! Now let's take these pups outside so they can have some more play time before dinner.” Negan said, standing up from his crouched position. He set Sam, who he still had been holding, down on on the ground. Rick opened the front door again to let everyone and the dogs outside. The kids headed onto the grass with the dogs while Negan and Rick stayed on the porch of their house. 

 

Negan wrapped an arm around Rick, pulling him to his side. 

 

“You're a regular old soft, you know that, Rick?” Negan said playfully. He gave Rick a gentle kiss on the cheek. 

 

“Shhhhhh or others will know my secret.”

 

Negan laughed. 

 

The couple stayed for a while longer on the porch before deciding to join in on the fun their kids were having with Sam and Dean. When it started getting dark Rick grabbed the pizza from his car, and followed his family inside. They ate together while their new pets slept under the kitchen table they were eating on.

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive any and all spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes I may have missed while editing.
> 
>  
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment, and kudos:)


End file.
